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Business and Labor Organizations Support Republican Plan to Expand American Energy Production, Create Jobs, and Fund Critical Infrastructure

WASHINGTON, D.C.,
February 1, 2012 -
Organizations representing various sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, and energy are joining multiple labor unions to call for passage of energy portions of the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act, a common sense Republican plan to expand American energy production, create jobs and fund high-priority infrastructure projects.

What They’re Saying:

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

“This suite of bills would create jobs while keeping energy prices low, a true win-win scenario for American consumers.”

Laborers International Union of North America

LIUNA believes that expanding access to America’s domestic energy resources will create good jobs, lower energy prices and generate desperately needed new revenues. The fact that these revenues are intended to help pay for desperately needed infrastructure improvements is a win/win for the American people.”

International Union of Operating Engineers

Simply put, without an increase in employment in the construction economy, sluggish growth will continue to plague the American macro economy. These will be good-paying jobs for U.S. workers, and this legislation should be a congressional priority.”

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America

“Many of these jobs will be in the construction sector, where the recession has taken a devastating toil, leaving Carpenters and Operating Engineers struggling to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads.”

National Construction Alliance II

“The package of legislation developed by the committee establishes the right priorities for American energy and infrastructure.”

American Farm Bureau Federation

“Increasing U.S. energy security is an important issue for America’s farmers and ranchers. Farm Bureau believes that working to find comprehensive energy solutions through traditional forms of fuel or new renewable sources strengthens and ensures American agriculture’s sustainability.”

National Association of Manufacturers

“Access to affordable sources of energy is extremely important given that manufacturers use one-third of our nation’s energy supply… We welcome efforts by the House to create jobs through increased domestic energy production and investment in our transportation infrastructure. Manufacturers want to lead, and they can no longer afford to wait.”

National Ocean Industries Association

“If acted upon by the Senate, we believe that legislation on offshore energy approved by the House last year, as well as H.R. 3410, would yield significant economic benefits in the form of new jobs, new energy, and new revenues.”

Douglas Domenech, Secretary of Natural Resources, State of Virginia

“Virginia’s elected leadership at the local, state, and federal level, on a bipartisan basis, have supported moving forward with OCS energy development and agree proceeding with a lease sale will produce jobs, economic development, and further President Obama’s goal to increase domestic energy production.”

Resources Development Council

“This is an interesting time for debate on this legislation to be occurring, given chronically high unemployment and critical structural problems within the U.S. economy, including staggering government debt and an alarming trade deficit, largely a result of imported oil. What we need is more economic opportunities and increased domestic oil and gas production. Opening a small portion of ANWR to responsible oil and gas development would create thousands of jobs, stimulate the economy, reduce America’s dependence of foreign oil, and generate much-needed ongoing revenues to the federal government.”

Alaska Chamber of Commerce

“Responsible development of U.S. energy whether on the OCS or ANWR will help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.”

Arctic Power

“Arctic Power Members and the people of Alaska strongly support environmentally responsible development of the 10-02 Coastal Plain of ANWR as provided in the Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act (AEAJA). Oil exploration and development of the Coastal Plain of ANWR could provide tens of thousands of jobs nationwide in the provision of equipment and services for decades to come.”

Organizations Supporting the Passage of H.R. 3407, Alaskan Energy for American Jobs Act